All the museum access you could want

We’ve spent the last two days cycling into the centre in the lovely sunshine. Yesterday we went on a voyage of discovery to the library. There are a surprising number of books in English, that browsing along the shelves you come across. This all seems perfectly normal because in Sweden everyone speaks English. You can use the internet for free for up to one hour even if you don’t have a library card – all you need to do is ask at the information desk and provide identification. You can borrow books only if you have a library card and you can only get one of those if you have the all pervasive personal number – you need to be a registered resident to get one but you can’t really do anything without it.

The library is at the top of the Avenue (big main street in the centre) and right at the top in Götaplatsen (big square) looking imposing and very 1920s is the big Göteborg Museum of Art. We popped in to look at their free exhibitions and discovered for a mere 40 Swedish Kroner (about £3.35) you can have unlimited access to 5 museums in Gothenburg for the rest of the year. The museums are: Göteborg Museum of Art, Göteborg City Museum, the Maritime Museum and Aquarium, the Röhsska Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Today I tried out my pass and went to the Natural History Museum. The museum is a fine example of its kind and if you like stuffed animals you’ll appreciate the place. I was lured by the numerous chairs, the cafe and the free toilets. The museum had a large selection of stuffed creatures in glass and wood cases and would be a great place to take children. It reminded me of the Natural History Museum in London before it was jazzed up, although it’s much smaller. The museum is set in the green of Slottsskogen so afterwards I wandered around admiring the little lake and waterfall in the fabulous sunshine.

Cycling into the centre takes about 20 minutes or so from where we are staying and it’s a nice cycle ride because of the cycle tracks. It’s as if bikes are actually considered a form of transport here; they have their own miniature roads and little traffic lights. It’s a refreshing change to England if you’re a cyclist. The mixture of pedestrians, bikes, cars, trams and buses makes for a good scene. It’s definitely the future, although none of the concepts are new.

Although it’s a short cycle ride, both days we have found ourselves waylaid the the old area of Haga, where small cafes lure you in with fine selections of coffee and cakes. This green city with its cafes and good transport is definitely the place for me.

One Response to “All the museum access you could want”

  1. Tim Says:

    Museums sound spendid I love stuffed animals – they are so cute and cuddly.
    Biking in Sweden sounds excellent too.

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